How to cope with exam anxiety
Taking an exam can be nerve-wracking at any age. But with the right mindset and practical strategies, test-takers can calm their nerves and approach any exam with greater confidence.
The night before a career-defining professional examination, Nipun Gauba lay awake, his mind swirling with doubt. What if I fail? he wondered. What will people think of me?
With the exam just hours away, Gauba confronted his inner critic. He reminded himself: “I prepared very hard. I studied all these hours, and I'll give it my best. If I fail, maybe I'll try a different strategy next time.”
That mindset paid off. Gauba, a strategy analyst for a large international investment bank in India, passed his exams.
You’re not alone
Feeling anxious before an exam is a common experience. In a 2024 study, Benjamin Lovett, Professor of Psychology and Education of Teachers College at Columbia University in New York, found that 99% of nearly 3,000 students at a US public university reported experiencing one symptom of anxiety at least some of the time when taking tests.
“It’s entirely normal and appropriate to feel anxiety. And even though you've been exposed to many exams, the anxiety doesn't necessarily go away because the consequences, the stakes, are always there. For instance, passing or failing an exam might affect someone’s ability to get a job,” explained Lovett.
This anxiety can manifest in many ways, including:
- trouble sleeping
- difficulty concentrating
- negative thoughts
- procrastination
- study avoidance
- sweaty palms
- racing heartbeat
- panic attack
Like other forms of anxiety, it’s rooted in a fear of the future, triggering people’s natural “fight or flight” response to threat.
Strategies for managing exam anxiety
The good news is, there are things exam takers can do to overcome them. Here are some of them.
1. Identify your worries
Naming what that fear is can be a powerful step toward managing exam anxiety. “Understanding why the anxiety is happening is very useful because it can help you take a step back and look at the bigger picture,” said Jared Dubbs, a Hong Kong–based counselor who has experience supporting students at international schools.
Lovett suggests writing down worries at a designated time each day. He says a worry journal can sometimes help generate solutions, and at other times clients see that some of their worries aren’t rational once they’re there in black and white on paper. Either way, the worries get “off-loaded” so that they’re no longer as likely to be on the client’s mind.
2. Breathe
Experts say slow, deep breathing can help slow one’s heart rate and calm people down. One technique that Lovett suggests is the 4-7-8 breathing: inhaling for four seconds, holding the breath for seven seconds, and exhaling for eight seconds.
3. Give yourself permission to slow down
Practicing mindfulness can help people focus on the present and away from other thoughts. “Just notice what's happening to you. Take a break to just breathe and go, ‘Okay, here's where I am.’ We tend to go on autopilot and feel like we don't have any control and that's often why we spiral into anxiety because it just feels like the next thing has to happen. Just step back and notice that you do have a choice in this. You’re not on a conveyor belt,” said Dubbs.
4. Simulate to regulate
Where possible, taking mock exams under conditions that closely mimic the actual test environment can help train the body to manage anxiety.
For those who experience intense distress, Lovett suggests working with a therapist on exposure therapy to help break the association between the threat (the test) and physical symptoms.
“So, when those panic symptoms happen during a test, they're usually less intense, and they're a lot less distracting. The person's able to just get on with the test, even if they can feel that their heart's beating really fast,” he said.
5. Don’t let anxiety dictate your prep
It is common for people to blame poor test performance on jitters. But research suggests the link isn’t so direct. According to Lovett and psychologist Alex Jordan of the McLean Hospital in the US, when people feel anxious, they change how they study, such as by procrastinating or avoiding self-testing. These behaviors leave them underprepared and more likely to do poorly on the test.
“When someone who's anxious fails a test, it's usually the low knowledge or insufficient mastery of the material that causes both the anxiety and the test failure,” explained Lovett. “Students who are anxious or failing an exam need to know it's not because of the anxiety. The only way the anxiety might be influencing them is by changing their preparation techniques, or by leading them to allow themselves to shut down during a test rather than continuing to try.”
6. Seek support
Universities typically have counselling services to help students manage their exam stress. A healthy social support system can also be a source of comfort and emotional release during challenging times.
Anxiety as a motivator
While anxiety can be unpleasant, a moderate amount can help drive better performance.
Lovett often asks clients, "How do you think you would do on the test if you didn't have any concern about your performance?" Most admit they wouldn’t prepare as thoroughly. “It’s not that all anxiety is necessarily a bad thing, those sensations and feelings are something that we can think about differently,” he added.
For Gauba, exam anxiety became a motivator rather than a setback. By focusing on what he could control and letting go of comparisons, he embraced his own learning style.
“Each person has their own abilities and drawbacks, right? I've met people who have much better memory skills than me, they read something once and they can remember everything while I have to read it three to four times to get the essence. But I’m happy to work hard and dedicate 10 times more than anyone else to understanding complex concepts,” he said. “You won't be able to replicate what other people do because you're not them. Realizing that helps anyone to become less anxious because once the comparison stops, you begin to shift into a mindset of, ‘Okay, this is what I am.’”
Explore more articles about exam preparation:
Study smarter, not harder: Must-have strategies for better exam prep
How to stay motivated when studying for difficult exams
How to juggle work and study at the same time
You may also be interested in
17 Jul 2025
Burnout red flags: What you might be missing
17 Jul 2025
Burnout busters for employees and managers
14 Jul 2025
Navigating AI anxiety: What leaders need to know
26 Jun 2025
Behind the allure of a private markets career
10 Jun 2025
Human skills you need for a career in finance
Explore our programs and certificates
CFA Institute offers a diverse range of programs and certificates designed to meet the needs of finance professionals across various career stages and specializations.
